IPAD Newsletter: April 2020

After the President signed the CARES Act, Secretary Ben Carson directed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to immediately begin allocating $3.064 billion to help America's low-income families and most vulnerable citizens. These funds will be awarded quickly by using existing grant formulas; they will also be accompanied by new guidance that cuts red tape so grantees can quickly help their communities.

Additional funds will follow this first tranche. The CARES Act allows HUD to broaden the reach of its existing grant programs for the remaining $9.136 billion in relief funding to meet our country's unique needs during this time. To do this, new grant formulas must be written. HUD began writing new formulas immediately and will continue to work quickly to address communities' needs and ensure these funds go to people and do not get delayed by bureaucratic red tape.

Read the entire press release here:
https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_20_049

The Secretary's Awards for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships has been recognizing excellence in partnerships that have both transformed the relationships between the sectors and led to measurable benefits for the last seven years. The award recognizes transformation in communities in relation to housing and community development, including increased economic development, health, safety, education, workforce development, disaster resilience, inclusivity and cultural opportunities, innovative regional approaches, and/or housing access for low- and moderate-income families.

The application period for the 2020 HUD Secretary's Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships has now closed. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, we anticipate there will be a virtual award ceremony in June 2020 to honor the 2019 awardees. The next award submission will be announced in December 2020.

AARP and HUD have a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to partner in research. We have four areas of research that we are currently pursuing: Healthy Aging in Place, Disaster Risk Exposure of Elderly Persons, Shared Housing, and also Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) and other innovative housing ideas. The collaboration helps both HUD and AARP advance their research in creative housing practices as it relates to the United States' elderly population.

Shared Housing: HUD continues to collect best practices in the area of shared housing. PD&R's Sean Martin is currently writing a research project on shared housing in the United States that will be published later this year in HUD's Insight publication. This publication will not only have best practices in shared housing matching services, mostly non-profits, but also in the commercial sector. HUD is also in the process of reviewing a notice for Public Housing Authorities that will reiterate the authorized use of HUD vouchers for those that share homes. Vouchers can be used for shared housing, if they are not related. We anticipate final clearance of this notice within the next few months. HUD's lead on the project, Cindy Campbell, and AARP's Stephanie Firestone, continue to work on this project in tandem.

Disaster Risk Exposure of Elderly Persons: HUD, in partnership with AARP, is working to understand the unique vulnerabilities of elderly populations to natural disasters and to promote strategies to reduce risk in this population. To do this, researchers first scanned literature on the risks of elderly populations in the context of natural hazards. One key and consistent finding that surfaced is that fatalities resulting from direct and indirect causes of disasters are much higher among elderly persons than the general population. To inform local emergency planning on this threat, HUD proposed creating and analyzing new data on elderly risk exposure to two major natural hazards for which risk data is widely available: floods and wildfires. Using a range of data sources, HUD has developed granular geospatial data showing the exposure of elderly households to flood and fire and mapped this data in select regions of the United States. AARP is focused on high-elderly population counties in California, Texas, and Florida. The process of generating the data involved new methods to create detailed maps that would likely be useful to a range of stakeholders. The data for all households has been published on HUD's website. HUD is finalizing detailed maps, analysis, and a presentation for AARP before sharing with local level affiliates. The ultimate objective of the data analysis is to provide compelling evidence to local advocates, policy makers, and emergency planners, that the exposure of elderly populations to hazard risks warrant careful consideration of this population's needs in order to mitigate the risk they face during severe fires and floods. HUD will then collaborate with AARP to identify risk reduction measures that can be deployed by governments ahead of and during disasters.

Healthy Aging in Place Working Group: Under the auspices of the research MOU between HUD and AARP and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, (HUD) began collaborating in 2018 on research related to the understanding that housing is a platform not only for financial security and physical security, but also for social connections, wellness, and long-term services and supports. On November 6, 2019, AARP hosted, in partnership with HUD, the Innovation Roundtable entitled Exploring Supportive Housing Solutions that Advance Healthy Aging in Community: Examining the role of affordable rental housing models with supportive services for older adults, bringing stakeholders from the public and private sectors together. The goal of the roundtable was to foster cross-sector engagement to identify potential solutions and opportunities that can address the challenges that housing and other providers are facing as they integrate enhanced supportive services into housing properties to advance health and well-being for low-income adults. Participants at the table represented AARP, health and housing agencies within the federal government, insurers and health systems, various associations in the health and housing sectors, and property owners that provide supportive services on-site. The roundtable generated numerous partnerships and ideas for further research.

Expanding Accessory Dwelling Units: Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinances are zoning rules allowing single-family dwellings to include an additional housing unit. ADUs can be created in a variety of ways, including converting a portion of an existing house, adding to an existing house, converting an existing garage or constructing an entirely new building. In addition to creating a new unit of affordable rental housing, they can make homeownership more affordable by providing the owner with a source of income. Incentives to provide accessory dwelling units that will be deed-restricted as affordable may be offered, such as property tax limits for the accessory dwelling unit. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of the different ordinances around the country. HUD researchers propose to create a comprehensive database of the different ordinances enacted by states and local jurisdictions, quantify barriers to ADU construction, and identify best practices and solutions. Initially the research will focus on ADU ordinance adoptions in naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs).

As government leaders work to address and bring resolve to 21st Century challenges and needs, growing evidence suggests that government alone cannot accomplish these tasks in isolation. As the rippling effects of such challenges and needs impact our world and nation, government leaders have to become more sophisticated in establishing and nurturing public-private partnerships to meet and address these growing needs. The International and Philanthropic Affairs Division (IPAD) of HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research recognizes this and works to establish and nurture such partnerships to advance and accomplish HUD's mission and goals. IPAD developed a Philanthropic Engagement Toolkit designed to educate and help HUD employees grow in their knowledge and skillset in establishing and maintaining key partnerships in an ethical and responsible manner as public servants. The toolkit covers topics such as what is a partnership, partnership models, the basics of philanthropy, and covers the legal and ethical guidelines government employees must adhere to in forming such partnerships. Training opportunities are forthcoming.

Scaling Solutions II released January 2020 was written by PD&R to highlight the various partnerships that have received the Secretary's Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships over the last eight years. The report highlights the strategies used by each partnership to increase the quality of life for low- and moderate-income residents. The report further describes the importance of successful partnerships and local solutions as they were implemented by the Gulf Foundation, HOPE SF Foundation, City Alive Foundation, the Legacy Foundation, the Community Foundation of the New River Valley, the Skillman Foundation, the Seattle Foundation, and the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/Scaling-Solutions-II.pdf

HUD sent a very small delegation to the World Urban Forum, held every two years in different locations around the world. Our delegation included Assistant Secretary Seth Appleton, Deputy Chief of Staff John Coalter Baker, Director of HUD's International Division Cindy Campbell and Program Analyst Katie Marinari. Over 13,000 people from 168 countries participated in the 10th World Urban Forum (WUF10) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 8 –13, 2020. Policy makers, academics, business and community leaders, artists, and urban planners engaged on a wide range of issues at this year's event. The theme this year was: Cities of Opportunities: Connecting Culture and Innovation. A non-binding declaration of voluntary actions and commitments for the next two years was released on the last day of WUF10, reiterating the shared aspirational goals to promote urban resilience, to review progress made in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, and to advance people centered policy outcomes.

The World Urban Forum gives participants a chance to meet each other and share valuable insight into pressing urban issues. While we were there, we had the chance to have bilateral meetings with several Ministry counterparts including Mr. Takuya Kurita, Vice Minister for Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, Japan. We also met with the Director of Urban Policy Division, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, Korea.

We had the opportunity to hear a brief from the Minister of Housing & Land Use Planning, Republic of Mauritius during the Minister's Roundtable. He noted that his small island nation has an 89% home ownership rate. We met with him after the roundtable to discuss this further and to perhaps share research in the future. It will be interesting to see how his country is able to use public private partnerships to achieve such a high level of home ownership.

Our team was able to visit the offices of the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority. They gave us an overview of housing in Abu Dhabi which was fascinating. Most Emirate citizens get very generous subsidies for single family homes, which average five bedrooms and include a generous amount of living space. We received a brief on a new housing project located within walking distance of a beach. The planners took into consideration community needs such as incorporating schools, a mosque, playground and other amenities.

The HUD delegation also had the opportunity to participate in a site visit to Masdar City, an intentionally planned sustainable urban community. Masdar City was built with the goal to be carbon neutral. The City relies on solar energy and strives towards water efficiency. There is also an emphasis on public transport, biking, and walkability. The community is a mixed-use development and includes the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, office space, incubator space for small start-ups, and a residential neighborhood with restaurants, shopping, and public parks.

We also participated in high-level roundtables, side events, and networking events, which provided opportunities to share the work of HUD and to learn from other countries' approaches, policies, and programs. Seth Appleton was a panelist on the American Institute of Architects sponsored event entitled “AIA/HUD Secretary Awards: Housing and Community Development Strategies.” He gave an overview of this year's awardees. IPAD's Katherine Marinari was a panelist on the Wilson Center and Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corp co-sponsored event on “Innovative Partnerships and Financing for Urban Regeneration.” She discussed the Choice Neighborhoods program and utilization of innovative public private partnerships.

The largest attended roundtable was the Minister's Roundtable. This was a gathering of senior leadership from around the world offering their insight into their country's current housing and urban policies. Seth Appleton highlighted our commitment to programs and policies that empower people to build self-reliance, that localize approaches by leveraging private-sector partnerships, that support sustainable homeownership, and that encourage affordable housing investments. He also detailed how President Trump's flagship initiative, Opportunity Zones, has helped to encourage long-term investment in economically distressed communities.

Overall, this was a great opportunity to represent the United States and share HUD's policies and initiatives.

Assistant Secretary Seth Appleton and the German Embassy's Envoy signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (Germany's version of an MOU) between the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development's Office of Policy Development and Research and the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building, and Community (BMI) on December 13, 2019. Following the document signing, several staff from IPAD met with Dr. Oliver Weigel from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community and Dr. Tina Silbernagl from the German Development Agency for a meeting with the German Marshall Fund to discuss a joint project for 2020.

On February 6, 2020, Assistant Secretary Seth Appleton, Deputy Chief of Staff Coalter Baker, and Director Cindy Campbell traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to sign an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Saudi Ministry of Housing and HUD. The next steps in the MOU will be to invite the Saudi Ministry of Housing counterparts to the United States to learn more about HUD's housing programs and to give them a more in-depth overview of HUD's government-backed mortgage programs.

Read more here:
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr-edge-frm-asst-sec-030920.html

HUD hosted a Japanese delegation visit from January 27-31, 2020. The delegation consisted of the Director of the Policy Research Institute for Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism and his colleague. IPAD, along with the NY Regional Office and the DC Field Office, facilitated the delegation's visit to DC & NYC which included site visits to supportive service providers, meetings with the local government officials, tours of Section 202 housing, and meetings with HUD leadership.

A follow up Aging in Place Forum was held in Tokyo from February 25-27, 2020. Seth Appleton, Calvin Johnson, Cindy Campbell and James Redfield attended the Forum. The team visited social/public housing projects aimed at assisting Japan's aging population. Discussions took place on various aging in place initiatives including how to move forward on the next few years of research. The next Aging in Place Forum will be held in the United States sometime in the fall.

On January 9, 2020, the National Academy of Housing and Sustainable Communities hosted an international gathering luncheon to prepare for the World Urban Forum. As the head of the US delegation to the World Urban Forum, Assistant Secretary Seth Appleton was featured as the guest speaker. The purpose of this luncheon was to provide an overview of HUD's current priorities and initiatives and served as an opportunity to hold a dialogue with Academy Fellows to exchange ideas on urbanization, its significance for U.S. foreign and domestic policy priorities, and the strategic role of cities in solving global challenges.

Director Cindy Campbell gave an overview of HUD's international work and participation in the World Urban Forum. Assistant Secretary Seth Appleton then gave an informative overview of HUD's current priorities and initiatives. Judith Hermanson, President and CEO, IHC Global and Jane Katz, Director of International Affairs and Programs, Habitat for Humanity International followed with responses of US Civil Society's priorities and initiatives. The luncheon ended with an official presentation of Owls and recognition of the presenters as Academy Fellows.

HUD is participating in a new research partnership with the Wilson Center and the Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation on the comparative study of urban regeneration financing in the US and Korea. PD&R's Heidi Joseph and Katherine Marinari will do a research case study on the LA Promise Zone. The interim report will be held virtually at the end of May 2020, with final reporting at the end of August. The University of Pennsylvania studying the Atlantic Yards in NYC and American University focusing on the District Wharf in DC are also participating in the research partnership.